Anadolu Agency: News in English, 02-01-23

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ANADOLU AJANSI

HABERLER

23 January

2002 Wednesday

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CONTENTS

[01] TURKEY-PRESS SCAN

[01] TURKEY-PRESS SCAN

HURRIYET (LIBERAL)

CEREMONY HELD FOR IRANIAN EXPENSIVE NATURAL GAS
A ceremony was held at last for the Iranian expensive natural gas which Turkey started to get. The energy ministers of Turkey and Iran formally opened the new natural gas pipeline that will help meet a fast-growing need for energy in Turkey. Natural gas began to flow to Turkey last month through the 2,577-kilometer pipeline, after a five-month delay for additional tests on a gas measuring facility. The energy ministers said in the ceremony held at Bazargan measuring station that the pipeline would bring commercial and political benefits. Zeki Cakan, Minister of Energy said the pipeline would boost trade and neighborly ties, but added that Turkey should increase exports to Iran to ensure trade remained balanced. Cakan added that 60 cities in Turkey would get natural gas until the end of 2004.

MILLIYET (LIBERAL)

MIT UNDERSECRETARY ATTENDS ECEVIT-DOSTUM MEETING
Afghan Deputy Defense Minister Rashid Dostum was received by Prime Minister Bulent Ecevit and Deputy Prime Minister Devlet Bahceli yesterday. National Intelligence Organization (MIT) Undersecretary Senkal Atasagun also participated in the meeting between Ecevit and Dostum. Ecevit said that Dostum had been affective in fighting with Taliban in Afghanistan. ''We discussed with Dostum what could be done for development of Afghanistan and for taking under guarantee the independence in this country. Dostum has a very constructive attitude, and he launches efforts to make the new order founded in this country to be successful and effective, Ecevit added.

SABAH (LIBERAL)

YILMAZ MODERATE TOWARDS KURDISH DEMAND
Motherland Party (ANAP) leader and Deputy Prime Minister Mesut Yilmaz said that it was not possible to put the petitions presented for education in Kurdish into process in accordance with the laws. ''But, it is beneficial to behave more moderately towards them,'' Yilmaz noted.

CUMHURIYET (LEFT)

TWO FIASCOS IN THE U.S.
There were two important issues, textile quota and free zone, during the Prime Minister Bulent Ecevit's visit to the United States. One of those issues was touched on carelessly and the other issue came to the forefront, however, the two issues were forgotten later. George W. Bush's saying ''yes'' is not only enough to lift the textile quota. Because, the quota is only possible by a commerce agreement which will pass from the U.S. Congress. However, this is impossible for today. Ecevit proposes to develop industry branches producing high-technology in Turkey by setting up partnership between American and Turkish companies. But, the U.S. sees the industries producing high-technology risky in Turkey.

RADIKAL (LEFT)

SEARCHES FOR A FORMULA FOR MHP
Democratic Left Party (DSP) and Motherland Party (ANAP) are searching for a formula to overcome the resistance of the Nationalist Movement Party (MHP) to adjustment package. Upon the request of Deputy Prime Minister Husamettin Ozkan, the discussion of the draft was postponed to next week. Faruk Bal of MHP opposed to forward steps by saying ''the draft is in compliance with European Union (EU) acquis.''

TURKIYE (RIGHT)

''WE ARE BESIDE AFGHANISTAN''
Prime Minister Bulent Ecevit, who met with Afghan Deputy Defense Minister Rashid Dostum, said, ''I have seen that Dostum assumes a constructive stance. We have reiterated our promise to make all the contributions we can to Afghanistan.''

FEAR IN AEGEAN
After western Manisa and Izmir provinces were rocked the previous day, three earthquakes measuring 5.8, 5.9 and 6.4 on the Richter scale were recorded in three different points of Aegean and Mediterranean. Turkey, Greece and Egypt were jolted while a person died of a heart attack in southern Antalya province.

ZAMAN (CONSERVATIVE)

BIRD OBSERVATORY TO BE SET UP IN GOLDEN HORN
A bird observatory will be set up in the Golden Horn to observe the bird species which live in the natural islands in the Golden Horn and to take the birds under protection.

-TARKAN, DEPUTY SECRETARY GENERAL OF INTERNATIONAL CONTRACTORS'
ASSOCIATION:
-''I DO NOT THINK THAT THERE WILL BE ANY BUSINESS OPPORTUNITIES FOR
TURKISH CONTRACTING SECTOR IN AFGHANISTAN IN THE SHORT TERM''
TOKYO - Ruhi Tarkan, the deputy secretary general of the International Contractors' Association, said on Wednesday that he did not think that there would be any business opportunities for Turkish contracting sector in Afghanistan in the short term.

Tarkan told A.A correspondent that Turkish businessmen could work in mainly transportation and commercial fields.

Ruhi Tarkan was among the participants of the international conference held in Tokyo to support restructuring of Afghanistan.

The representatives of the countries and organizations that attended the conference expressed their views about restructuring Afghanistan while experts attended the conference when disarmament, soldier and police training, clearing the landmines, fight against drugs, and alternative development were debated.

Tarkan, who attended these meetings, said that the technical meetings were intensified on mainly women and children education, health, clearing landmines, and prevention of production and illecit trafficking of drug.

The international aid was expected to be extended priorily on the above mentioned fields, Tarkan noted.

Tarkan stated that it was considered as difficult to implement the contracting services for the development of the country in the short term and said, ''this will take at least one and a half years.''

The country could make use of contracting services at a certain extent in clearing the landmines, Tarkan said.

Tarkan pointed out that the companies working in this field could undertake business in Afghanistan if they provided necessary equipment.

Meanwhile, the final declaration which was announced following the international conference on reconstruction of Afghanistan, noted that the countries decided to give 1,8 billion dollars to Afghanistan in 2002.

Certain countries had certain commitments covering more than one year; therefore, the total amount of aid to be sent to Afghanistan exceeded 4,5 billion dollars.

The declaration noted that the investment promised to be given to Afghanistan won't be unconditional.

The following are some main points from the final declaration adopted at the end of the conference:

- Participants expressed their readiness to help the Afghan people in their reconstruction efforts. To make concrete this commitment, pledges of over 1.8 billion dollars for 2002 were announced. The cumulative amount was more than 4.5 billion dollars.

- Participants agreed on the urgency of rapid disbursement and importance of addressing immediate financial needs for the functioning of the interim administration over the next few months.

- Assistance will be conditional on all Afghan parties positively contributing to the process and goals agreed in Bonn with the aim of establishing peace, representative governments and stability in Afghanistan and eliminating terrorism and narcotics production and trafficking.

- It was noted, that as the efforts for reconstruction proceed, due geographical balance within Afghanistan should be taken into account in resource allocation.

- The conference provided the Afghan Interim Authority (AIA) an opportunity to reaffirm its determination to pursue the process of reconciliation, reconstruction and development and provided the international donor community an opportunity to express its political support for this process with indications of concrete assistance.

- The AIA recognised that it holds primary responsibility for reconstruction. The international community concurred and expressed its determination to provide support and closely coordinate with the AIA and the people of Afghanistan as they conduct reconstruction efforts.

- Sustainable economic development and the effective use of donor funding urgently require that sound currency arrangements, as well as strong and transparent budgetary and treasury systems, are put in place.

- Donors pledged to provide the necessary technical and financial assistance to help the AIA to create the essential institutional framework. Strong emphasis was put on the importance of rapidly establishing a sound and comprehensive and monetary framework.

- The AIA identified the following key priority areas for the reconstruction of their country:

1. Enhancement of administrative capacity, with emphasis on the payment of salaries and the establishment of the government administration.

2. Education, especially for girls

3. Health and sanitation

4. Infrastructure, in particular roads, electricity and telecommunications

5. Reconstruction of the economic system, in particular the currency system

6. Agricultural and rural development, including food security, water management and revitalising the irrigation system

- The conference emphasized the centrality of restoring the rights and addressing the needs of women, who have been the prime victims of conflict and oppression. Women's rights and gender issues should be fully reflected in the reconstruction process.

- Decisions on the allocation of expenditures will be the responsibility of the World Bank, the UNDP (United Nations Development Program), Asian Development Bank and the Islamic Development Bank in consultation with the Special Representative of the Secretary General of the United Nations.

- The AIA stressed its commitment to transparency, efficiency and accountability.

- The preliminary needs assessment prepared by the World Bank, the UNDP and the Asian Development bank was welcomed. Further work on a more comprehensive needs assessment is planned to take place in Afghanistan in full partnership with the interim administration in the coming weeks.

-TURKEY-EUROPEAN UNION RELATIONS BIBLIOGRAPHY PUBLISHED
ANKARA - State Archives General Directorate has published ''Turkey-European Union Relations Bibliography'' which will provide facilities for people making research related to the European Union (EU).

The bibliography includes the informations on the publications between January 1, 1992 and May 30, 2001.

The bibliography covers 759 books, reports and thesis; 338 notifications; 3, 250 periodical articles; 5,659 newspaper articles and 3,044 news items.

''Turkey-European Union Relations Bibliography'' has the quality of continuation of ''Turkey-European Community Relations Bibliography'', the second volume of which was published in 1992.

State Archives Director General Yusuf Sarinay said that the book, which was prepared in a period when Turkey presented its national programme to the EU for the membership to the union, would be beneficial for the people who would make research on the issue.

-FM CEM SAYS TRANSPORTATION OF CASPIAN BASIN SOURCES VIA
AFGHANISTAN ROUTE SEEMS TO BE VERY OPTIMISTIC APPROACH
ANKARA - Foreign Minister Ismail Cem said on Wednesday that the transportation of Caspian basin energy sources to the world via Afghanistan seems to be a very optimistic approach.

Responding to the question motion submitted by AK Party deputy Huseyin Kansu who asked how the developments in Afghanistan would affect the energy transportation lines, Cem said in a written statement that many researches consider as too optimistic the idea of transporting the Caspian energy sources through pipelines in Afghanistan.

''No serious work has been undertaken to date about such a project. It has only been thought. It should not be forgotten that the ideas of energy pipelines can not be put into practice very easily. Caspian Oil Consortium and Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan projects can be shown as examples to that,'' he said.

Noting that the stability atmosphere to be formed in Afghanistan would positively affect the whole region, Cem said that new regional cooperation opportunities will come out and the issue of energy can be among them.

Cem said that the project to be developed in Afghanistan won't be a rival pipeline, but a complementary one to Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan and South Caucasian natural gas pipelines.

Markets where the oil planned to be produced in Caspian Basin will be sold, have been determined and transporting the oil via Afghan route depends on the additional production to be undertaken in Caspian basin, he added.

-OIC PARLIAMENTARY UNION TURKISH GROUP PRESIDENT TEKIN ASKS PRESIDENTS OF
DELEGATIONS OF MEMBER COUNTRIES TO IMBUE SAUDI ARABIA TO TAKE PAINS OVER
PRESERVATION OF HISTORICAL, CULTURAL AND RELIGIOUS ARTIFACTS
ANKARA - Organization of the Islamic Conference (OIC) Parliamentary Union Turkish Group President Necdet Tekin asked on Wednesday presidents of delegations of OIC member countries to imbue Saudi Arabia to take pains over preservation of historical, cultural and religious artifacts.

Tekin sent letters to the presidents of the delegations of OIC Parliamentary Union member countries.

In his letter, Tekin wrote that al-Ajyad fortress which was built in Mecca in the 18th century during the rule of the Ottoman Empire was demolished by Saudi Arabian authorities.

Tekin said that the parliament felt grief and disappointment about the demolition of the fortress.

Saudi Arabia violated the principles about the preservation of cultural heritage, particularly the convention on the preservation of world cultural and natural heritage by demolishing the fortress, Tekin noted.

Tekin continued, ''besides al-Ajyad fortress, there are train station in Medina, ornaments on the columns of Prophet's Mosque in Medina, and arcades on Kaabah. Unfortunately, there are rumours that these artifacts will also be demolished or destroyed. These are the common cultural heritage of our region and example of cultural diversity.''

''At the same time, they are the parts of world cultural heritage. Every country undertakes the responsibility to preserve and transfer the cultural heritage on its soil to the forthcoming generations. We call on Saudi Arabia to behave in line with this responsibility and to preserve the historical and cultural heritage on its territory,'' Tekin added.

-JUSTICE COMMISSION STARTS TO DEBATE DRAFT ADJUSTMENT LAW (1)
ANKARA - Parliamentary Justice Commission started on Wednesday to debate draft adjustment law which foresees amendments to Turkish Penal Code (TCK) and some other laws.

Draft law, envisaging amendments toward broadening rights in Turkish Penal Code (TCK), Anti-Terrorism Law, State Security Court (DGM) Law, and Criminal Trial Procedure Law (CMUK), submitted to Parliamentary Chairmanship.

The draft law, which is also defined as ''Adjustment Laws'' is the fist chain of a serious of amendments which is expected to be passed from the parliament in the coming period. The draft law is based on the draft which was prepared by the EU General Secretariat.

With an amendment foreseen to Article 159 of the TCK, which is about ''insult to Constitutional institutions and public personalities'' the phrase ''Republic'' and ''to the moral personality of government'' will be excluded, and ''Turkish Nation'', ''Turkish Republic'' and ''Council of Ministers'' phrases will be brought instead.

With the new arrangement, the heaviest punishment will be reduced from six years to three years. The punishment, given to Turkish citizens living abroad who insult Turkish identity in foreign countries, will be increased one third of the previous punishment.

The draft law arranges Article 159 as:

''Those who insult Turkish identity, Turkish Nation, Turkish State, Parliament, Council of Ministers, ministries, court house, military forces or security forces of the state will be given imprisonment terms up to three years.''

Those who openly curse laws of Turkish Republic and resolutions of parliament will be given imprisonment terms up to six months. If this crime is committed in a foreign country by a Turkish citizen, this punishment will be increased one third.

With an amendment made to Article 312 of the TCK, titled ''incitement that is not open to crime'', existing article is simplified and the phrase ''incitement of people to disobedience to laws'' is excluded and ''incitement to call people not to abide by laws'' is included instead.

''Those who praise a crime openly or those who incite people not to abide by laws will be given up to two years imprisonment terms,'' it said.

Those who openly incite people to enmity and hatred basing on social class, race, religion, or regional difference will be given up to three years imprisonment terms.

The draft law lifts the fines foreseen in TCK's articles 159 and 312.

-JUSTICE COMMISSION STARTS TO DEBATE DRAFT ADJUSTMENT LAW (2)
ANKARA - Draft law on adjustment which was prepared in parallel with the constitutional amendments re-arranges propaganda crimes in Anti-Terrorism Law and foresees punishments for propaganda crimes if these crimes incite people to carry out terrorist activities and attacks.

The draft law which amends the second paragraph of article 7 of the Anti- Terrorism Law titled ''terrorist organizations'', cover the provision about ''fining those who aid and abet the terrorist organizations and who make propaganda regarding an organization in a way it incited others to carry out terrorist activities to pay money between 500 million and 1 billion Turkish liras (TL) or imprisoning the above mentioned people between one to five years even if their actions create another crime.''

With this regulation, the imprisonments were preserved while the fine which is 50-100 million TL is increased by ten-fold.

-IF THE CRIME IS COMMITTED THROUGH PRESS
The draft which totally changes the eighth article of the Anti-Terrorism Law titled ''propaganda against inseparable integrity of the state'', reduces the sub-limit of the punishments to be given to propaganda aiming at harming inseparable integrity of the state and nation of Turkish Republic from 2 to 1 year and the ceiling level from 5 to 3 years.

The sub-level of fine to be charged for these crimes is increased by 20- fold to 1 billion TL and the ceiling level is increased by 30-fold to 3 billion TL.

The draft changes the expression saying ''aiming to harm inseparable integrity of the country and nation of Turkish Republic irrespective of the method, purpose or thought'' as ''with the aim to harm inseparable integrity of the country and nation of the Turkish Republic.''

Also, if the written or verbal propaganda aiming to harm the inseparable integrity of the state is committed through a periodical determined in the Press Law, the fine to be charged from the periodical will be decreased. The current regulation foresees a fine until 90 percent of the approximate selling amount of the periodical belonging to the previous month. The draft reduces this rate from 4 to 3.

The draft adds a paragraph to the eighth article about the propaganda crime and regulates the punishments to be given to the propaganda considered as a crime if it is made through some published works or other mass communication devices.

In accordance with this, the draft envisages imprisonment from 6 month to 2 years or fine between 1 billion to 3 billion TL for the people who commit propaganda through mentioned devices and to the owners of mass communication devices.

Also, the draft law notes that the court can ban broadcasting of radio and television channel from one to seven days.

The draft law also includes the provision to increase the punishment to be given to propaganda crimes which aim to harm integrity of the state and nation if these crimes are committed through periodical or other mass communication devices by one-third.

The Adjustment Bill which has been presented to Parliment proposes to end lengthened custody period for crimes committed as a group and to shorten the custody periods in Emergency Rule regions.

The bill cancels the article which changes the custody period as seven days for crimes committed with a group of three people or over. Under the law, the custody period for such crimes could be a maximum of four days.

For crimes committed in Emergency Rule regions, the four day custody period could be increased to seven days upon the request of the prosecutor. Under the current law, this period is seven to ten days.

The bill also states that the suspect could meet with his lawyer at all times. Under the new law, a relative of the suspect or a person designated by him will be informed about the suspect's arrest without any delay.

The bill which is consisted of nine articles is expected to be discussed at the Justice Commission in the coming days.

-JUSTICE COMMISSION STARTS TO DEBATE DRAFT ADJUSTMENT LAW (3)
ANKARA - Parliamentary Justice Commission started on Wednesday to discuss the adjustment bill, which foresees amendment in Turkish Penal Code and other laws.

While giving information about the new regulation at the Commission, Turk said that the number of suits filed under Articles 159 and 312 of Turkish Penal Code (TCK) and Articles 7 and 8 of Anti-Terrorism Act decreased in 2000 when compared to the suits filed in 1999.

Noting that the amendments undertaken in laws constitute steps for further democracy, Turk said that adjustment laws have to be adopted following the amendments undertaken in the Constitution.

''The amendment foreseen to be undertaken in Article 312 of Turkish Penal Code protects basic values, and it broadens the right to freedom of thought and expression,'' he said.

Turk noted that 307 suits were filed in 1999 under Article 159 of Turkish Penal Code (TCK), adding that 324 suits were filed in 2000 under Article 312 of TCK.

Within the scope of Anti-Terrorism Act; 1,260 suits were filed in 1999 and 631 suits in 2000.

-DENKTAS AND CLERIDES TO MEET TODAY
LEFKOSA - President Rauf Denktas of Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC) and Greek Cypriot administration leader Glafcos Clerides will meet on Wednesday within the scope of the direct talks started on January 16.

The meeting will start at Lefkosa Conference Hall in bufferzone at 5.00 p.m. United Nations (U.N) Secretary General's Special Envoy to Cyprus Alvaro De Soto will join the meeting as an observer.

Denktas and Clerides decided to meet three times a week on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays at their meeting on January 16.

-TRNC DEPUTY PRIME MINISTER COSAR SAYS TALKS
DON'T HAVE PRECONDITION
LEFKOSA - Salih Cosar, the State Minister and Deputy Prime Minister of the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC), said on Wednesday that the direct talks, which were started to find a solution to Cyprus problem, did not have any pre-condition, noting that, ''the presidents should be left alone.''

Responding to the questions of reporters before the Council of Ministers meeting, Cosar said there should not be much statements about the talks, adding that, ''the presidents should be left alone. The talks are not pre- conditional. There are serious issues on negotiation table, and they are under discussion.''

Cosar said he hoped TRNC President Rauf Denktas would give information to the political party leaders in the coming days about the talks, adding that, ''we may be able to make statements under the light of this information.''

-PEARSON SAYS U.S. IS PLEASED WITH ECEVIT'S VISIT
ANKARA - U.S. Ambassador to Turkey Robert Pearson said on Wednesday that they had concluded Prime Minister Bulent Ecevit's visit to the United States very successfully, adding that his country was pleased with that visit.

During his meeting with Parliament Speaker Omer Izgi, Pearson evaluated Ecevit's visit to the United States.

''We have successfully concluded Prime Minister Ecevit's visit. My country is pleased with this visit. Our political leaders have set an agenda which is very important for our two countries and our duty is to work hard to reach these goals,'' Pearson said.

When asked how he defined Ecevit's visit very successful as the U.S. side had not taken any concrete initiative in issues like textiles quotas and military debts, Pearson said, ''political leaders set an agenda and this agenda was about recovery and improvement of the climate of economic policies, investments and trade relations and at the same time it was about increase of these relations to the level of political and political- military relations. And opinions about this matter display our determination. These will constitute the basic resultants of our strategic relations and in the next phase, Turkey will become a country which has great competitive power and its trade relations with the United States will improve as long as its economy is relieved.''

''All textile quotas will be lifted by the year 2005 and actually fifty percent of quotas have already been lifted so far. Consequently, we are trying to bring Turkish companies to a position which will increase their competitive power until the year 2005 and later on by working with them,'' he said.

Responding a question about the agenda of the joint commission planned to be formed on economic relations between Turkey and the United States, Pearson said that the commission would convene in Ankara on February 26-27 and the U.S. side would be headed by Department of State Undersecretary Alan P. Larson for Economic, Business and Agricultural Affairs.

Noting that they were currently discussing about the agenda of the committee with the Turkish businessmen, ministries and government, Pearson said that as the U.S. side, they wanted to bring the issue of industry areas of high quality onto the agenda and that high technology production at those industry areas would be in question.

Stating that they were at the same time evaluating the investment environment, Pearson said that there were some specific problems that American investors were facing in Turkey.

''All of these issues may be brought onto the agenda. I hope that a concrete progress would be recorded but I cannot say what kind of matters the Turkish government should bring onto the agenda. I expect that there would be a productive and positive result,''. he said.

''Besides, we have focused on political and military-political dimensions of our relations for years but now we attribute more importance to economic matters. I suppose that concrete results would be obtained in the shortest possible time,'' Pearson added.

-U.S. AMBASSADOR PEARSON SAYS TURKISH PEOPLE WANT TO TAKE MORE STEPS IN
DEMOCRATIZATION
ANKARA - U.S. Ambassador Robert Pearson in Ankara said on Wednesday that Turkish people wanted to take more steps in democratization.

Parliament Speaker Omer Izgi received Pearson. Izgi said that Pearson had told him during their previous meetings that he would work to further improve Turkey-U.S. relations.

Izgi noted, ''according to our impressions, our relations have been developed since that day.''

They would debate what could be done from now on during their meeting, Izgi stated.

Izgi said that Pearson was an expert on Middle East politics and added that he was very important in this respect.

Pearson, in his part, said that he would take up the works of the parliament in the previous legislative term and the agenda of this legislative term.

When asked to express views on draft adjustment law, Pearson said that it would not be appropriate for him to make evaluation on draft laws that were being discussed at the parliament.

However, Pearson noted, the constitutional amendments adopted by the parliament in the former legislative term was welcomed by the whole world.

Pearson stated that they also considered those amendments as forward steps.

The adjustment laws which would put the constitutional amendments into practice were also of vital importance, Pearson said.

Pearson noted that they always stressed that Turkish people wanted to take more steps in democratic reforms and democratization.

Turkish people were making those amendments because they wanted them not because some others asked them to make them, Pearson stated.

Pearson said that this was also valid for their country, adding that they were also exerting efforts to continuously further improve democracy and to develop their system.

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